The World Tree
by 2Alfalfa2
Summary: This will be the genesis of Chaos. When the Tree is plagued by death and "hope" a word long forsaken. So we must fight. Follow the Angles as they fight to defend the World Tree from the devastation of war, and uncover the secrets the Tree has in store for them.
1. Chapter 1: Savior in the Shadows

black pikachu lived by three laws: don't be stupid, pay back all debts, and never leave enemies alive. Such were his thoughts as he crept amongst the tall grass. It was a dark night. The reassuring light of the moon was being suffocated by a wall of clouds. Yet it was not missed. He clung to the night as a worrier would his sword, and allowed his body to fade into the solitary caress of darkness. There was only silence. The forest that surround him waited on bated breath, as a hopeful mother would for the return of her lost children. Still, even the furthest Tallow could hear the obnoxious cackle of the men hiding away in a cave.

The forest cowered as the wind picked up and thunder boomed amidst the clouds. He listened. He listened to the subtle movement of any guards, and the cold clank of metal under the feet of the of Pokémon. The pikachu peeked over the grass to confirm his surroundings. One Machoke stood guard – well, stood in front of the cave drawing in the dirt. Next to him where a menagerie of Pokémon trapped in cages. A second's delay, then the pikachu made his move.

The inside of the cave was flooded with laughter, and hopeful musing about a surely successful future. One poacher talked about what he would do with his cut, only to be called an idiot. His partner would tell him the _right_ thing to do with the money, then finish with a snarky comment about his accomplice's puke green vest. An argument would ensue, and maybe a small fight, resulting in one of them in a headlock. After, they would just laugh away and continue where they left off. Neither noticed when the Machoke disappeared. But they could not ignore the sound of the electronic cages unlocking.

Once they took a step outside, they saw the Machoke lying at their feet unconscious. Almost simultaneously, they shined their lights to the cages only to find a slew of formally locked cage doors. "What the heck Eddie, how did you let this happen?" the man yelled at his defeated partner.

"Dang it, do you know how much money they were worth?" the accomplice chimed in after a firm kick in the ribs Eddy on his back.

The pikachu had a couple options. He could take them out now, call the police, and be done with it. Or, he could battle them. He begun to leave the tall grass.

The man heard the shuffling of the grass and asked, "Hey, do you think whatever did this is still here?"

"It better be!" the accomplice said. "Hey!" The accomplice was walking around and shouting wildly as if the culprit was all around him, "I dare you to come out!"

The accomplice's challenge was met, and soon after, a wave of anger washed over him. The Pokémon in question sauntered up to the two men, revealing itself against the backlight of the cave.

They just stared at him as he stared back until finally the appalled accomplice yelled "You gotta be kidding me. This is what did it? You mean the thing did this was that little pathetic Umbreon?! I'll kill it! Where's that little crap's trainer?"

"Are you stupid?" the man said as he slapped the accomplice on the back of the head, "Look at it, it's a Pikachu."

"Are _you_ stupid? Pikachu are yellow, that thing's black! It's an Umbreon! Besides, a Pikachu ain't been seen here in years," he argued, massaging where he was hit.

"Look at the shape stupid! Didn't you play _Who's that Pokémon_ when you were a kid? Look at the shape. It's a black pikachu—one of those shinnies, you know. And we're not gonna kill it. That freak'll sell for double we lost."

"Wha'd about we just take its skin, he looks like he'll be a good hat," the accomplice bargained with a devilish grin.

The man scowled at his accomplice and muttered some expletives under his breath. He then reached for his belt and threw his only Poke ball. A Seviper materialized behind a flash of light. "Ay Jake, you can't kill this one, just knock em' down a notch." The Seviper looked at the pikachu and produced a smile akin to that of the gnarliest daemon. It's smile only grew as it slowly slithered up to the cave where the Black Pikachu stood.

"Jake use bite!" the man commanded.

Once Jake came within range it charged, bearing its maroon fangs at the mouse Pokémon.

The pikachu vanished. He reappeared skidding to a stop behind the confused snake.

"What?" the man cried.

"How'd he do that?" his accomplice asked.

"Whatever! Jake use bite again!"

Again the Seviper attempted to bite, but only got a mouth full of air; the Pikachu again behind.

"Oh, I get it," the man said with a smirk. "He's using quick attack to dodge. He can't do it forever so try it again!"

The Seviper, now mad at the mouse Pokémon, bared his fangs and turned as fast as he could.

The pikachu spun. His tail connected with the side of Jake's open jaw and sent it bitterly to the ground.

After Jake recovered form that embarrassing attack, he scowled at the pikachu. It was met with an unamused stare, as if the mouse Pokémon was waiting for something exciting to happen.

"Jake, use poison tail!" the accomplice called from the sidelines.

The Seviper's tail began to glow, illuminating the area in a purple radiance. Jake whipped his tail around, only to have it hit the air below the jumping Pikachu.

Jake tried to follow with another poison tail from above, but the Chu seemingly vanished again, leaving the tail to slam on the rocky ground.

The black pikachu was again in front of the cave, silhouetted (although he was already black) by the campfire. A now aggravated Jake opened its mouth once more, releasing red and orange flame. The blaze completely consumed the inside of the cave in a fireball, and once it stopped the cave charred black, and all its contents were incinerated. The camp fire was out, and the black pikachu was nowhere to be found.

"Jake did we tell your scaly butt to do flamethrower? No we didn't, but look what happened!" the accomplice screamed.

The man shined his flashlight into the wreckage, "Did we at least get the thing?" A few moments passed before the Seviper was slammed to the ground by a bolt of blue lightning connected to the blur of the pikachu. Jake now lay motionless while the pikachu stood over it. He regarded the nearly defeated snake with the same bored expression as before. The remaining blue electricity of the thunder punch still danced on his arm.

The accomplice screamed, "Jake you overpriced piece of crap, get up now!"

After a long pause, the Seviper slowly picked itself up. "Don't screw this up Jake, use-" Before the man could finish his command, Jake erupted in blue electricity which lit up the otherwise black forest in a ghostly blue spark. The imprint of the electricity clung to the poachers' visions, causing temporary blindness. Once they regained their sight, they found Jake sprawled on the floor unconscious.

The pikachu walked away, on all fours, toward the two men and looked more disappointed than bored. One of the men cussed as he pulled out his pistol. Before he pulled the trigger the pikachu dashed to the man, tackling him in the stomach. He was left gasping for air. Sooner than the accomplice could react, the pikachu electrocuted them both, which forced them to fall limply to the cold rocky dirt.

The black pikachu began to wonder if he shocked them too much; however, after seeing the rise and fall of their chest he dismissed the idea. He walked over to one of the men, took out his phone, and called the police.

Outdated translators were now common amongst communication devices, so he just gave the island name, a general location, hung up, and left for home.

"Home" was just one of the many trees hidden amongst the cluttered forest. The apple tree was good enough for now, but he knew he would have to go to the World Tree eventually. But definitely not now. Now was a time for training and thinking.

When he arrived, he jumped to a low branch, proceeded to climb to the top, and promptly slumped up against the trunk. For a while he thought about the past; thought about his mission and Cota. He thought about all the debts he had to pay, and about the time when he can finally go to sleep with a clear conscience.

It was early in the morning when the pikachu heard the rustling in the bushes – too early in the morning. It was something small by the sound of it, fumbling along the forest floor. The pikachu decided to ignore it.

It wasn't long before the noise came to the tree and stopped. The Pokémon yelled, "Hey! Mr. Pikachu, I need help!"

The black pikachu pretended to still be asleep.

"Please! I'm lost," the natu cried. The electric mouse lazily opened his eyes and accepted the fact that sooner or later he would have to hear her out. "I know you can hear me," the natu yelled. "I need your help."

After a refreshing yawn, the groggy Pikachu finally asked what the problem was from the comfort of his branch.

"Please, I don't know how to get home."

He begrudgingly jumped down from his arboreal dwelling to get a better look at the young natu. Further inspection reviled that that the natu's feather, which was supposed to be red, was purple. Otherwise, she was the standard green and red bird native to Hoenn.

"Oh yeah," he said, still rubbing his eyes. "Weren't you one of the Pokémon in the cage from yesterday? What'd you say you need again?"

"I don't know the way home. I was hoping you could show me the way." The young Pokémon said.

"What makes you think I know the way?"

She thought for a moment then said, "I live in Yggdrasil."

"The World Tree?" he asked with some degree of surprise. "You do realize that's on the other side of the island right? That's at least a three day walk, and I don't think-"

"Then you know where it is!" the Natu screamed as she jumped on him, "Please please please!"

"Look kid-"

"My name's Maya," the girl interrupted.

"First, I'm not good at remembering names-"

"But Maya is an easy name to remember."

Ignoring her comment, the pikachu pointed west and said, "Second, it's literally the giant tree over there. You can't miss it."

"But I can't see it through the all the other trees."

"Then fly _over_ the trees."

"But natu's can't fly until we evolve."

"Then hop from tree to tree."

"But I might get struck by lightning."

"Kid, I _guarantee_ you'll get struck by lightning if you stay with me."

There was a pause. She barely opened her beak as she spoke, "But, I'm scared to go alone."

The mouse Pokémon hesitated and, with a sigh, said, "Kid, there're really only bugs out here. As long as you stay out their way, they're not a problem. Besides, they're not strong, and you have an advantage."

The little bird let go of his torso. She looked into his eyes and said, "But I'm scared." Her teary eyes bore into those of the pikachu. "Please, I know I'm asking a lot, and I don't have any money, but can't you please?"

He looked at the young Natu, just for a moment, and proclaimed, "No." and begun to walk away.

The little girl cut the waterworks and franticly yelled, "Cato would want you to!"

He froze. "How do you know that name?"

The little girl didn't think that last question though all the way. She fumbled over her words as she spoke, "I um... Well that doesn't matter! He would want you to! Right?"

"How do you know that name?"

The little girl did not speak, and the pikachu searched her worried face for answers.

Instincts took over as he took a step. He stopped himself before he released any electricity, and he relaxed the muscles he did not realize were tense. The pikachu took a breath. He looked up, beyond the ceiling of leaves, to the cloudy skies ahead. Maybe even past those too.

He did not speak for a while and Maya was worried that she pushed him too far.

"Yes, he would," the chu finally said.

He looked at the little natu girl and thought about the mess he would have to go through to set foot near the World Tree.

"Fine," he said at last. "But at my pace."

"Thank you!" the girl said with a huge smile. She ran up to him and gave him another tight hug.

The pikachu let out a breath and slumped his shoulders. "I'm a Pikachu with a lot of static. You shouldn't touch me."

The girl quickly let go of his torso. "Thank you!"

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered as he retreated back to his tree for his knapsack.


	2. Chapter 2: A Walk Through the Forest

"So," Maya asked for the umpteenth time, "how about now?"

"No." the pikachu said, automatically.

The electric mouse shoved some underbrush out of the way and motioned Maya to go through. "How about now?" the young Natu asked once he caught up.

"No, not yet." The pikachu said, reassuming the lead.

After another minute of walking Maya pleaded, "Can we take a break yet?"

"We've only been walking for two hours."

"My feet don't care!" Maya pouted, "Just one little break. Please?"

"No." the pikachu said sternly, "At any moment it's going to start pouring, and with my luck it'll be when we get to the clearing. I don't want to get caught in the rain so hurry up. This is a day long trip-"

"You said it was three days!"

"It will be a three-day walk if you keep dragging your feet." he said as he maneuvered through the branches of a fallen tree.

The mouse's ears batted as a sharp crack echoed through the stiff air. Maya brought her leg off the ground and cried, "My leg, it's broken! We need to stop!"

The black pikachu kept moving

"I–I can't move, help me. Please, ouch, ouch ooo." Maya's emotion soaked words, and theatrical performance, were powerful enough to make even the coldest Pokémon break down in tears. She swooned and fell to the floor in a heap. "Oh cruel world, why me? Why sweet little Maya?"

"Your leg isn't broken, you just stepped on a twig," the pikachu said without looking back or slowing down. "And stay quiet, or do you want every Pokémon in the forest to come?"

Maya stood back up and glared at her traveling partner, it wasn't very effective. Her words dragged as she whined, "But I'm so tired."

"Complaining won't make it better."

They entered a patch of particularly dense foliage.

"Actually it does." Maya said as she pushed though the plants. "It just takes your mind off everything, you know? Hey! That's what you can do. Tell me a story. If you do, I won't even remember my aching feet."

"I don't know any stories, kid." the pikachu said, a little quicker than he would've liked.

They finally pushed through the vegetation, allowing the little bird to stroll beside her guide.

"Then tell me your story." When he did not respond, Maya prompted, "how'd you get to be so weird looking?"

The pikachu stopped for the first time since the start of their journey. He turned to face the bird Pokémon, "Stop talking. Please."

"I just mean, why are you black?"

The pikachu massaged his head, cursed his luck, and continued walking.

"I mean, I know that there are shinnies – Oh! Sorry, I meant uniquely colored Pokémon – and I've never seen a real pikachu, but aren't they supposed to be yellow, or orange? Right?"

"Yes," he half-heartedly replied.

"And you look like a regular pikachu except you've got all black fur, well maybe a really dark brown, I can't tell. And now that I look at it, your tail is huge; it's like, long and fat. Also shouldn't your cheeks be red? Their blue you know. Well not blue, more of a teal or aquamarine."

"I know how I look." The pikachu interjected, "Please, drop it."

The electric mouse ran to jump over a fallen tree then disappeared over the other side. Maya perched on the trunk and grew nervous when she didn't see him. It seemed like forever before she caught the sight of the flashing of blue light, and the rustling of leaves.

"Why are you dark brown and teal with a big tail?" Maya asked the moment she caught up.

"I don't know."

"Did you come from a place full of black pikachu?" Maya pressed.

"I don't know."

"Were you born like that, like I am with my purple feather?"

"I don't know."

"Are you a new kind of shi- Uniquely Colored Pokémon?"

"I don't know."

"Did you eat something that turned you black?"

"I don't know."

"Do you know your name?" Maya asked sarcastically.

"No."

"Wait, what? How do you not even know your own name?"

"Kid, just be quiet already."

"Oh come on! You can't not have ever not known nothing. Wait. You can't have never not known… never can you not know… You have to know something, just tell me already!"

It was a long time – and lots of pleading – before he responded, "If I tell you, will you stop talking?"

"No," the young bird admitted, "but if you don't tell me then I'll never stop asking! Watch." What came from Maya's mouth can only be described as a never ending torrent of "Please," and "Come on."

It wasn't too long before the pikachu cracked, "I don't remember anything past about six years ago."

"Why not?" Maya asked before a second passed.

"That wasn't the deal. You had one-"

"I know but come on!"

Blue sparks escaped from the chu's cheeks as he nearly yelled, "Because a hypno took my memories, locked them in a box, and hid it. So now I'm on a quest to get them back." Silence fell for a moment, and the mouse was finally able to relax.

It was only when he looked back to make sure Maya was alright when he realized the silence was simply the calm before the storm. "Who was the hypno? Where did you two meet? Why did a hypno take your memories? How did your memories get locked in a box? Why did… wait. You don't need to play this hypno's game!"

Maya chuckled to herself in her best evil laugh – the result sounding as menacing as the squeaking of a stuffed animal. The pikachu was just glad she bought the little lie.

Maya continued, "You're talking to a future xatu. When I evolve I'll be a master of looking into the past and then I can tell you the things you don't know! I'll look far enough back and I'll tell you what your name is. I'll tell you who your parents were, and if you had any brothers, and where you came from, and why you're so weird looking!" A mile-wide grin broke across her face, "Consider it my gift to you for taking me back home."

"Fantastic," the pikachu chuckled.

"But until then I'll give you your substitute name!"

"Uh, kid you don't have to-"

"How about John? That looks like a good name for you. Or maybe Black?"

"No," he said, with another weary sigh. "And isn't Black isn't a name, it's an observation."

Maya rattled off an infinite list of names, all denied by the pikachu, until finally she said, "Fine, I'll just call you Shiva then."

"No!" the back pikachu roared. "What happened to calling me 'Mr. Pikachu'?"

"Hey! I know what you are Shiva!" The Natu half-screamed excitedly.

"My name's not Shiva." The pikachu huffed.

Maya continued, "You can't say for sure that a hypno took your memory, because you wouldn't have a memory of a hypno. All we know is that you don't have any memories, which includes not knowing where you came from and not knowing your name. And, this whole journey began with me waking you up. I submit to you, oh pikachu, that you are a human that turned into a Pokémon!"

"No."

Maya's shoulders slumped and feathers flattened. "Aww. Why not?"

"Because your confusing reality with a human game. And the only reason you woke me up today is because I was going to sleep in."

"Curse that dastardly hypno!" Maya said, as she shook her wing at the sky in spite. "Okay Shiva, since you don't know anything, I'll just have to tell you everything," Maya said, completely oblivious to the pikachu's frustration. "We live in the Hoenn region."

"You just don't stop, do you?" the pikachu said, defeated.

"Well," she continued, "not really in the Hoenn region, we're on an island off the coast of the Hoenn region. The island was created-"

"By the battle between Kyogre and Groudon, I know."

"You know, it's very rude to interrupt someone. Anyway, you see, when the Kyogre and Groudon were fighting, they created a lot of storms that blew Pokémon onto the islands. Oh! And the battle also made new islands too. Because of Groudon and earthquakes or something. Anyway, they were locked away from everyone – the Pokémon - with barely any food, so they had to work together. My family wound up on this island and watched over the Pokémon trapped here. And together, they created the World Tree! Do you know what the World Tree is?"

Maya stared at him expectantly.

"Do you actually want me to answer?" the pikachu asked, genuinely confused.

"It's the gigantic fruit tree we're walking to! And do you want to know what's special about it?"

"You know, you're a lot more annoying than I thought you'd be."

"It's Yggdrasil of course! The biggest and best Pokémon city! Eventually, the World Tree grew and they made the city Yggdrasil in the branches. Now there are Pokémon from almost every region living in Yggdrasil! And do you know why Yuggdsril is the best city? Because my dad runs it of course!"

While the majority of what Maya was saying was automatically tuned out, this caught his ear. "Your father runs the World Tree? So that means you're-"

"Going to be the next leader. Why," she said with a casually suave chuckle, "yes I am. If you haven't noticed, I have this purple feather which…"

The pikachu wasn't really listing. Instead, he was musing about how the next ruler of the Tree ended up in this situation. Yet, however unlikely their meeting, and the position they're in, the two continued.

They walked through the seemingly never ending dense forest that lay on the center of the island. Both of them ate berries along the way, picking them off some of the many fruit bushes and trees. They walked over mossy tree roots, and through fallen trees. Over the small hills, and across the rugged diverse land. They walked all day, only stopping for "Maya's quiet break time." By the afternoon they were nearing the less cluttered edge of the forest, and the clearing that led to the Yggdrasil – which sat on the other edge of the island. Once the black pikachu found a suitable place to sleep, he took off his knapsack and removed two apples. Maya slumped up against a tree, and rested her sore feet.

The two ate and went to sleep.

It was late at night when Maya woke up. The thunder overhead saw to that. Back home, she would always talk with her father about her nightmares. No matter how scared she was, he'd always know just what to say to calm her down. But she was alone out here, even more so because the pikachu slept away from her. He said it was because, "Lightning has a habit of striking near me," but all it did was leave her alone. As more thunder boomed, she struggled to stop thinking it was some giant Pokémon bent on eating her. Or that there was something right behind her, right about to go for the kill. She failed miserably. Within a minute she was running to where she saw the pikachu go and was franticly searching for him.

She couldn't find him, and the imaginary creatures were closing in quick. The young Natu was about to scream for her lost companion when she heard a noise. Like an angel with a sore throat, the black pikachu's voice found Maya. Sure enough, he was standing on the tree tops. He was indictable save for the strands of blue electricity which pulsed around his body. The electricity emitted a soft glow, and as it danced around his body Maya could see just fatigued he was. He was hunched over, and breathing hard, and his face was the picture of determination with hints of pain.

In an instant, he stood up straight, his eyes fixed at the sky. He took a sharp breath. An arc of sapphire electricity exploded out of him in a blinding display of power. The bolt of electricity skyrocketed straight up, challenging even the might of the storm. It looked as if Zapdos itself used thunderbolt. "Well maybe not Zapdos." Maya thought, "Maybe Raikou?" Maya cowered as the thunder that followed boomed with earsplitting force. It was a while before Maya's eyes readjusted, and the imprint of the lightning gone.

"What are you doing here?"

Maya nearly ran into a tree before she realized it was just the pikachu. But to be fair, the electricity was still coursing through his fur, illuminating him in an inconstant ghostly glow. The Pikachu hid his splitting headache and exhausted body well. To Maya, it looked like nothing happened.

The Chu's face softened, "Oh, sorry. Did I wake you up? Sorry, just, go back to sleep."

Maya tried in vain to get some explanation as to what he was doing, but he waved her off and told her to go to sleep. Maya accepted on the condition he would say by her. The pikachu stayed with her all night, protecting her from her from the daemons who lurk in the darkness, but not from her thousands of questions. Or, was it just one, "Who are you?"

Note: Thank you for your curiosity in my story, and feel free to tell me any criticisms. I love reviews and criticism so if you have any thoughts, don't hesitate to tell.


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